SB Nation NFL mock draft update has Dolphins bolstering secondary

The NFL Draft is just over a week away, which means we are closing in on the end of mock draft season - at least for this year. In his latest 2018 NFL Mock Draft, Dan Kadar from SB Nation’s Mocking the Draft starts the draft with a “Cleveland Browns” pick by the Browns. The Miami Dolphins, meanwhile, end up looking to bolster their secondary.

With the first overall selection, Kadar has the Browns picking up Wyoming quarterback Josh Allen, and pick he describes as, “This would not be a smart pick. This would be a very Browns pick.”

The second pick then falls to the New York Giants with USC quarterback Sam Darnold coming off the board. The New York Jets make it three straight quarterbacks with Oklahoma’s Baker Mayfield, before the Browns come back to make a selection of North Carolina State defensive end Bradley Chubb. The Denver Broncos make it four quarterbacks in the first five picks with UCLA’s Josh Rosen.

The Indianapolis Colts then use the sixth pick to select Notre Dame guard Quenton Nelson, followed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers adding Penn State running back Saquon Barkley, the Chicago Bears picking up Virginia Tech linebacker Tremaine Edmunds, and the San Francisco 49ers selecting Georgia linebacker Roquan Smith. The Oakland Raiders then round out the top ten with a selection of Alabama safety Minkah Fitzpatrick.

With the eleventh overall pick, the Dolphins have seen several of their potential targets come off the board. Smith, Edmunds, Fitpatrick, and all the quarterbacks are gone. Washington defensive tackle Vita Vea is an option here, but Kadar has them looking toward the back end of the defense:

11. Miami Dolphins: Derwin James, S, Florida State

With Reshad Jones and T.J. McDonald, the Dolphins don’t necessarily need a safety. However, James is much more than just a single-position player. Miami can play James as a slot corner, as a roving linebacker and even as an edge rusher.

As Kadar writes, James does give Miami some flexibility with his use. He does seem to fit Miami’s mold for a safety, being a player who likes to play up near the line of scrimmage, support the run or blitz, and hit hard. He has the ability to play more of a coverage safety or a true free safety position, but he does have some work to do to become a true coverage guy.

What are your thoughts on James being an option for the Dolphins?